Seven British athletes will travel to Rome for the marathon swimming programme as part of the 2022 European Aquatics Championships, as an unprecedented summer of swimming continues.
A blend of new and experienced faces will take to the Lido Di Ostia Lungomare Amerigo Vespucci between the 18th and 21st August as the team look to build on a run of strong performances across both junior and senior levels in recent months.
Two of the most experienced members of the team are Loughborough University duo Hector Pardoe and Toby Robinson; the pair coming off the back of 11th and 21st-place finishes respectively at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in the 10km event just over a month ago. Robinson has also been part of the Team England cohort at the Commonwealth Games, placing fourth in the 1500m Freestyle final.
Other travelling athletes with recent success across the marathon distance are Swansea University’s Nathan Hughes and Joe Deighan, alongside Wycombe District’s Ella Dyson. The trio all picked up medals at the recent round of the LEN Open Water Cup in Serbia, with Hughes and Dyson taking gold and Deighan the bronze.
Barnet Copthall’s Fleur Lewis and City of Leeds’ Kennedy Denby are new additions to the team, as they both look to make the most of what will be a chance at valuable experience over the race programme.
Speaking on the selection of athletes, team manager Kevin Renshaw was upbeat about the opportunity awaiting the group.
“We are excited to be taking this group of swimmers to the European Championships. The team is a good mixture of youth and experience and due to this they will all have slightly different goals. The two senior male athletes will certainly be looking to challenge for the podium, while the younger swimmers will be gaining experience at this level, against a strong senior international field, for the first time – and that is always hugely valuable as they build for the future.
“Ella Dyson and Nathan Hughes‘ last experience of an Open Water Championship was at European Junior level and that delivered medals for each of them. This is the first Championship meet at any level for Joe Deighan, Kennedy Denby and Fleur Lewis. We will be looking for strong, committed and intelligent performances from the whole team and they all use this as a platform to challenge for places as we move towards Paris 2024.”
The overall European Aquatics Championships runs from 11th to 21st August, with British interest from across the disciplines as the team continue to enjoy a period of success as preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics continue.
British Swimming marathon swimming team for the European Championships in Rome (marathon swimming programme 18th-21st August):
Joe Deighan – Swansea University
Kennedy Denby – Swansea University
Ella Dyson – Wycombe District
Nathan Hughes – Swansea University
Fleur Lewis – Barnet Copthall
Hector Pardoe – Loughborough University
Toby Robinson – Loughborough University
